Assorting mechanism



AS SORTING MECHANISM Original Filed 'Aug. 19, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q x I v a r, a =5 INVENTOR. fkn/vz 8 flaws 14w #Mzid ATTORNEYS y ,19 F. a. DAVIS 2,291,572

ASSORTING MECHANISM Qriginal' Filed Aug. 19,1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 if} YENTOR. BY 2 few/K 5 00m:

' M M 9; W

ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1942. F. B. DAVIS 2,291,572

ASSORTING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 19, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 3- INVENTOR. flea/wk 6? flaws 14m 7W 2, 147% ATTORNEYS Original Filed Aug. 19, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 flu 6 Sheets-Sheets F. B. DAVIS ASSORTING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 19, 1939 I In Q July 28,1942.

IN V ENTOR. fiomt 5. 0/74 16 ATTORNEYS July28, 1942. B. DAWS 2,291,572

- ASSQRTING MECHANISM T Original Filed Aug 19, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 a nmmm INVENTOR. fA/m 5 DAM As ATTORNEY!) Patented July 28, 1942 ASSORTING; MECHANISM Frank B. Davis, University Heights, Ohio, assignor to The National Screw Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

Ohio

Original application An & Manufacturing a corporation of as 19, 1939, Serial No. Divided and this application August 20, 1941, Serial N0. 407,614

4 Claims. This invention relates to an assorting mechanism adaptable for use on machines for performing operations on products such as assembling operations, the purpose being to automatically separate from the properly formed or assembled products those which for different reasons may be defective.

This application is a division of my prior application Serial No. 291,049, filed August 19, 1939. for Assembling machine for screws and washers.

My invention finds special utility in machines for assembling lock washers and screws in which case it functions to separate from the assemblies which are of proper form or condition the screw which for any reason failed during the normal operation of, the Y machine to receive washers as well as to separate any screws or screw and washer assemblies including screws longer than those utilized in any particular run of the machine to avoid the necessity of subsequent inspection and manual sorting. However, my invention may be utilized to advantage also on other types of machines.

The above and other objects are attained by the present invention which may be here briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings I have shown my invention as applied to a machine for.

assembling washers onto screws and particularly lock washer onto screws the shanks of which have been threaded, the mechanism being such as to assemble the washers onto the unthreaded portions of the shanks of the screws next to the screw heads. However, the fact that the screws or screw elements are threaded before the washers are assembled thereon is not necessarily material to the present invention.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of an assembling machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view looking toward the left of Fig. 1, some of the parts being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional'view on a larger scale substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in section and partly in end elevation looking at the opposite end from that shown in Fig. l, the bed of the machine being omitted;

Fig. 4a is a fragmentary view taken on the line nt-4o. of Fig. 4 showing the manner of actuating the shaft and screw delivery segment plate;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, the section being taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation looking particularly at the assembly die andthe point at which the assembling of the screw and the washer takes place;

Fig. 7 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showing a portion of the assorting mechanism which causes unassembled products to be discharged int a different receptacle than that which receives the properly assembled products with screws of normal or desired length;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale showing particularly the pusher for insertin the screw through the center opening of the washer in the assembling operation;

Fig. 9 is a detail of the disk utilized in the feeding of the washers, this view showing the disk as viewed from the line 99 of Fig. 10 and show-' ing part of the hopper and part of the delivery chute by dotted lines;

Fig. 10 is a side view of the disk with someof the associated parts shown by dotted lines;

I Fig. 11 is a side view of the transfer member for the screws, the shaft supporting the transfermember being in section along' the line I l-l| of Fig. 4;

' Fig. 12a is a fragmentary perspective view showing particularly the cradle mounted on the corner of the plate for delivering screws from the chute to the transfer fingers;

Fig. 13 shows one of the screws and the washer prior to assembly, the washer here shown being toothed at its outer periphery only; I

Fig. 14 is a view of the same after the as sembling operation, the washer in Figs. 13 and 14 being in section and the screw being in elevation; i

Fig. 15 is a side view of the washer shown in Figs. 13 and 14; and.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 showing a lock washer toothed at both it inner and its outer peripheries.

In the present assembling machine, the screws are fed from one hopperand the washers from I another hopper, and mechanism is provided so that during each cycle of the machine a washer :shankof thescrew next to v the screwjand washer assembly is pushedput Off' and with the screw positioned opposite the central opening in the washer, and then a plunger pushes the screw forwardly through the opening in the washer so as to position the washer on the the die and is delivered to a receiving receptacle.

but if for any reason the screwfails to receive a washer or if the screw is somewhat longer than desired, then the screw or the longer screw with the assembled washer is by an assorter caused to be discharged into another receptacle.

With the present assembling machine the screws are preferably such as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 and designated 20,these screws having their shanks threaded prior to assembly withthe washers, and in the assembling operation by an endwise movement of the screw when aligned with the opening in the washer 2| as shown in Fig..13, thewasher is moved onto a short unthr'e'a'ded portion Z'Udfof'the screw nextto the screw head, as shown in Fig. 14. The unthreaded portion 20a may be'cylindrical or slightly tapered, but ineither event the'washerwih he slid on and .aftenassembly' will have a friction-tight fit on the un'thre'aded portion of the screw next to the head. The ,washers are preferably lock washers N which .maly j'betoothed at their outer periphery I as shown in Figs jl3, l 4', and l5, or theymay be toothed-at their inner periphery or at both the inner. and outer'peripheries as shown at 22 in Fig. 16, or they may be otherwise shaped to serve as lock washers.

I wish to make clear, however, that while the present as'sembling machine, is' used principally in the assembling of lock washers and screws whose shanks are threaded prior'to the assembling operation, it may be used also in the assembling of washers'and screw blanks the shanks of which aresadaptedto be threaded after the assembling operation." has utility in the assembling of plain washers on screws with threaded o'r unthreaded shanks.

Therefore-in the following description the term screw, is to be understood to include a screw whose shank has been threaded or is unthreaded at the time the assembling occurs, and the term washer'wi1lapply to a washer which is formed as a lock washer in any of the standard ways or which is a plain washer.

The assembling machine includes a suitable bed or frame 23 which may be formed in any suitable manner and which has an extension 24 (Figs. 1, 2, and 4) on which is mounted a nor-.

mally stationary but horizontally adjustable block I 25 to which is secured a standard 26 supporting the hopper 21 for the washers. By means of an adjusting screw 28, best shown in Fig. 2, the position of the hopper 21 and the parts associated therewith may be adjusted to accommodate screws of different lengths. The washer hopper 21 is provided with a, pick-up and delivery member 29 in the form of a disk which is in an inclined position, being preferably inclined about 26 from the vertical. The disk 29 is secured to an inclined shaft 30.jour'nale'd in a boss at the upper end of the standard 26 and adapted to be given a step-by-step movement by mechanism to be referred to presently. This disk 29 is provided with peripheral notches 29c which are somewhat U-shaped and are of a size large enough to accommodate one of the washers. A quantity of washers is placed in the hopper behind a partition 21a (Figs. 2 and 10) which partition extends across the hopper toward but not to the bottom. '7

the screw-head. .jIhen.

Likewise, the invention The washers pass underneath this partition into engagement with the lower section of the disk 29, and, as the disk is given this step-by-step movement, the washers lodge individually in the notches 29a, and as they pass upwardly with the disk above the quantity of washers, they are retained in the notches'by reason of the inclined position of the disk. When they reach a given position they drop one at a time into a delivery chute .3 I Generally each notch contains a single washer but if, as sometimes happens, two washers become lodged in any of the notches, the extra washers are. brushed off before they reach the point of delivery to the chute 3| by depending coil springs 32 attached to the hopper so as to extend over the inclined front face of the disk. For each cycle of the machine (during which a washer is assembled on a screw), the disk 29 is 'given a step-by-step movement equivalent to the distance between the notches 29a, and when a notch with a washer in it reaches the upper end of the chute 3|, at which point the opening in the chute communicates with the interior of the hopper in line with the notched face of the disk 29, the washer slides or rolls out of the notch is attached to' the washer hopper 21 and its lower end is attached to the die block 34, and when it is desired to'adjust the machine for screws of different lengths, this die block 34 will be loosened by retracting screws 36 passing through a gib 31 so that, when the hopper 21 is adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 28, the hopper, the guide chute, and the die will be adjusted as a unit.

When the washer reaches the base of the slot ofthe die 33, which slot forms a continuation of the slot in the chute 3|, it is temporarily held in that positionand prevented from tipping forward by a pair of leaf springs 38 which are secured to the sides ofthe die '33, these leaf springs having yieldable forwardly and laterally bent ends 380.. Assisting in holding the washers in the position just stated is a lip 39a of a hinge plate 39 hinged to the lower part of the chute, as best shown in Fig. 6, and yieldingly retracted by a spring 40. The front ends of the leaf springs 38 and the lower end or lip of the hinge plate 39 do not interfere with the inward movement of the screw the shank of which is to be inserted through the opening in the washer, and at the same time they do not interfere with the ejection of the assembled product after assembly.

In line with the washer when located in the die or in the position just stated is a plunger 4|. The plunger 4| is adjustably secured to a bolt 42 which is carried by a'slide 43 mounted for horizontal reciprocating movement in a support 44 (see Figs. 2 and 5) mounted on extensions of the frame 23. The manner in which the plunger and the parts carrying it are reciprocated will be explained presently.

Substantially coincidentally with the delivery of a washer to the die in line with the plunger 4| a screw is positioned between the washer and the plunger 4| and the mechanism for causing the delivery of a screw to the assembly point at first to move forwardly and grasp the screw 2,291,572 each cycle will now be explained. The screws are supplied from a hopper 45 which is suitably supported .on an extension of the frame 23. The hopper and the means for delivering the screws from the hopper may be of standard form. The

V screws are picked up by an oscillatory plate 46 which is pivoted at 41 and has an extension projecting up through the bottom of the hopper and is groovedat its top so that the screws will arrange themselves side-by-side thereon with the heads at the top of the plate and the threaded shanks extending down into a groove or slot in the plate. As the plate swings upwardly, the screws are delivered into an inclined chute 48 (see particularly Fig. 4) at the top of which is a bar 49 high enough from the side walls of the chute to accommodate the heads of the screws. The position of this bar can be adjusted to accommodate screw heads of different sizes. At the top of the chuteare some rotating toothed members 50 which are mounted on a shaft and which brush off the chute and back into the hopper any screws whichare delivered cross-wise or horizontally from the plate 46 to the chute.

Secured to a rock shaft 52 mounted in inclined position at the bottom of the chute 48 is an inclined segment-shaped screw delivery plate 53 which is adapted to be swung from the dotted line position shown in Fig. 11, where it receives the screw from the lower end of the chute 48, to the full line position shown in the same figure.

At one corner of the chute is a receiving cradle 54 which may be formed from sheet metal and is provided with a pair of notches so positioned that when the plate 53 is swung to the dotted line position the cradle receives the lowermost screw in the chute 48, and then the plate 53 swings downward to the full line position shown in this figure. and in so doing the screw in the cradle is brought to horizontal position. However, since the body of the plate slides over the lower end of the chute, the discharge of the next screw is prevented until the plate is again returned to' screw-receiving position.

When the screw reaches the position shown in Fig. 11 it is just in front of a pair of spring pick-up fingers 55 (see Fig. 4) which are, carried on the end of an oscillating arm 56 mounted on ashaft 5lcarried by-the frameof the machine. This arm, which is'cam-actuated in a manner to be explained presently, causes the pick-up fingers while in the cradle and then to be retracted slightly so as to allow the cradle with the. plate 53 swung back to position the cradle to receive the next screw. Thereupon the arm 56 is again swung downwardly so as to carry the screw held by the fingers 55 to' a position in line with the plunger 4| and the washer in-the die. .Then the plunger 4| is moved forward, and as it enters the washer and the opening in the die, the arm 56 swings backward carrying the fingers 55 to a position to receive the screw which is to receive a washer during the next cycle of operations.

Above I have described the main operating parts of the machine which are instrumental in the assembling of the washers on the screws,

this application.

Power is supplied to the machine in any suitabe'manner', but in this instance by a belt 581;

which engages a pulley- 58 on a shaft 59 suitconnected to a pin 11 which extends through an to be and I will next describe in detail the mechanism crank 10 loosely between the teeth of the ratchet and ably supported in.horizontal position on the frame of the machine. As illustrated in Fig. 2, there is located at the side or the pulley 58 a loose pulley 60 onto which thebelt 51 may be shifted if it is desired to stop the operation of the machine. The shaft 59"is'connected by gearing 6| to a cam shaft 62 journaled on the, frame of the machine (seethe lowerlefthand side of Fig. 1). Fromthis camshaft power is derived to actuate all the parts of the machine.

I will first describe the mechanism herein illustrated for actuating thedisk 29 of the .washer feeding mechanism. It will be observed that at the endof the cam shaft 62 shown in Fig. 1 a sprocket wheel is provided which, through the sprocket chain 63, rotates a shaft 64 which is supported by the frame ofthe machine beneath the washer hopper 21, shaft 64 being rotated at the same speed as cam shaft 62. This shaft 64,, which, like the cam shaft, rotates continuously so long as the machine is in operation is provided with a cam 65 (see Fig. 2) which is engaged by a roller 66 carried by a pitman 61-the upper end of whichhas a ball and socket connection shown at 68 with one arm 69 of a bell mounted on the shaft 30 to which is secured the washer delivery disk 29. A spring 10a which is connectedto the bell crank lever 10 keeps the roller 66 in contact with the periphery of the cam 65. The other arm ll of the bell crank 10 carries a spring-pressed'pawl 12 which engages a ratchet wheel 13 also mounted on the shaft 30. A yieldable driving connection is provided between the ratchet wheel 13 and the shaft 30, and the detail of this is shown in Fig. 3. 14 of the ratchet wheel 13 is partly surrounded by a spiral spring 15. One end of this spring is anchored to ,the hub by means of a screw '16 or otherwise, and the other end of the spring is arc-shaped slot 18 in the hub and is connected to the shaft 30 to which the washer feeding disk 29 is secured. There are as many teeth in the ratchet l31as there are washer receiving sockets at the periphery of the disk 29 and in each cycle of the machine the disk 29 is moved the distance therefore the disk is given an angular movement equal to the distance between the peripheral notches. At the completion of each movement of the ratchet wheel '13 one of the peripheral'notches of the disk is brought opposite the mouth or entrance opening of the washer delivery chute. 3|, as shown in Fig. 4. The spring 15 normally functions to turn the shaft 30 and the disk 29 the full distance each time that the pawl 12 actuates the ratchet wheel, but if for any reason the Washer feeding disk 29 becomes stalled, as by clogging of the washers, then the spring 15 will yield and the ratchet will make idle strokes back and forth without turning the disk 29 until the trouble is overcome, and this can take place without breakage of any of the parts.

It will be noted that the roller 66 -which engages the cam 65 onshaft periphery and, as pointed out above, the upper end of the pitman 61 has a ball and socket connection with one arm of the bell crank on shaft 30. This arrangement permits the adjustment of the hopper 21 and the parts associated with it by turning the screw 28 after the usual hold-. ing screws have been loosened without disarrang-, ing the mechanism for imparting the step-by step movements to the washer feeding disk.

It will be noted that the hub 64 has a rounded The cam shaft 62 has other-"actuatingcams and pulleys including a cam. 19 (Fig. '8) which rocks a lever 80 pivoted at SI on the frame. of the machine, the lever having a roller 82 engaging the face of the cam. The lever 80 has an arm extending through the slot in the support 44 and operatively connected to the slide 43 so.

as to reciprocate the plunger M in predetermined timed relation with the other essential parts of the 'as'sembling mechanism. A spring 83 connected to the lever 80 keeps the roller82 atthe end of the lever 80 in engagement with the cam. Additionally, the cam shaft 62 is provided with two cams'both shown in Fig. 4 and designated 84 and 85, the former serving to operate the spring fingers 55 which in each cycle position the screw in line with the plunger 4I. The lever 56 carrying the fingers has a. roller 86 which engages the periphery of the cam 84 and is kept in engagement therewith by a suitable spring '81.

The cam 85 is utilized to swing the plate 53 which in each cycle of the machine carries a screw from the lower end of the chute 48 to a position in front of the fingers 55. This cam is engaged by a roller 88 at the lower end of a rod 89 which at its outed end is connected to a. crank 90 at the upper end of the inclined shaft 52 to which the plate 53 is secured (see (Figs. 4 and 4a). A suitable spring BI keeps the roller 88 in engagement with the periphery of cam 85.

The plate 46 which extends through the bottom of the screw hopper 45 and feeds the screws to the chute 48 is given an oscillatory movement about the axis of thepin or shaft 41 by the following means. On the cam shaft 62 is provided a pulley 92 shownin dotted lines in Fig. 4, and this is engaged by a belt 93 engaging a pulley 94 on a shaft 95 sup-ported on the frame of the machine beneath the screw hopper 45. This shaft has a crank 96 carrying a roller 9'! which engages the lower side of the plate 48, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The toothed wheels 50 which rotate adjacent to the upper end of the chute 48 are driven by a belt 98 engaging a pulley 9 9 on the shaft which supports the toothed wheels and a pulley I03 on the cam shaft 82, this drive, being illustrated in Fig. l but for the sake of clearness parts thereoi'have been omitted from Fig. 2.

There will next be described the mechanism for ejecting the assembled screw and washer from the die 33 and. for operating the assorter for sorting out any screws which have failed to receive washers or any screws which are longer than the intended length for a given run of the machine.

When a screw is pushed inwardly by the plunger 4| (see Fig. 5), it moves backward or'inward a kickout pin IOI which is slidably mounted in an anvil I02 which in turn is slidably supported by the die 33. At its rear end the anvil is connected to a kickout sleeve I03 which is adapted to have slight endwise sliding movement in the die block 34. The rear end of the kickout pin IOI has a head which engages a spring I04 which is located in the kickout sleeve I03 and is compressed when the kickout pin is moved back by the screw. Accordingly, when the plunger 4| is retracted, the spring I04 acting on the kickout pin will eject the screw from the die. However, since the washer which is now assembled on the screw is held in the die by the parts 38a of the leaf springs 38 and the lip 39a of the hinge plate 39, for the ejection of the screw and-washer it is desired that simultaneously with the forward movement of the kickout pin IOI the anvil I02 be moved forwardly so as to apply ejecting force or pressure on the rear face of the washer sufficient to overcome the spring action of .the washer retaining members referred to so as to guard against the washer being retained in the die when the screw is ejected. To accomplish I this result, the anvil and.the kickout sleeve I03 connected to it are positively moved forward a predetermined but adjustable distance in each cycle of the machine immediately following the retraction of the plunger M. For this purpose there is provided on the cam shaft 62 a cam I05 (see Fig. l) the face of which is engaged by a roller at one end of an arm I06 of a kickout lever I01, the roller being kept in" engagement with the face of the cam by a spring I0'Ia which is connected to the lever as shown in Fig. 5. The lever I0'I has an upper arm I08 the upper end of which is provided with an adjustable hollow stud I09 (see Fig. 5), the stud being screwed into a threaded opening in the end of the arm I08 and held in adjusted position by a nut I09a. The head I08b of the stud engages the head IIO of a hollow plug I I I which is screwed in the outer end of the kickout sleeve I03. swung inwardly, the head of the stud I09, by its engagement with the head III! of the plug III, moves the kickout sleeve I03 and the anvil I02 forwardly so as to positively eject the washer from the die simultaneously with the ejection of the screw by the kickout pin WI. The distance that the kickout sleeve I03 is thus moved forwardly is adjustable by means of an adjusting pin I I2 (see the upper part of Fig. 5) having an eccentric lower end engaging in a slot H3 in the kickout sleeve I03. When the stud I09 and the kickout sleeve I03 are moved forwardly by the lever I01 and the cam I05, a spring H4 is compressed and later restores these parts to their former positions, this spring surrounding a portion of the kickout sleeve I03, one end of the spring engaging a shoulder on the sleeve I03 and its other end engaging the rear end of the die block 34 (see Fig. 5).

The assorting mechanism will now be described. It will be noted particularly by reference 'to Fig. 5 that the plug III has a cylindrical and tubular extension I I5 which extends forwardly inside the spring I04 which acts on the head of the kickout pin IOI. Movable inside of this tubular extension II5 of the plug III is an assorter pin IIB the forward end of which is normally close to the head and, in fact, practically in contact with the head of the kickout pin IOI when the latter is in its rearmost position shown in Fig. '5 when a washer of predetermined thickness is assembled on a screw of intended length. To the rear end of this pin I I6 is secured one end of a wire II'I extending freely through a hollow flexible cable II8 (shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5). The pin :I I6 and the wire III are not moved endwise during the normal operation of the machine, but if the kickout'pin IOI is moved rearwardly a greater than normal distance, as, for example, if a washer fails to be seated in the die when the screw is pushed in by the plunger 4i or if the screw is longer than intended, the head or rear end of the kickout pin IOI engages and moves endwise the pin III; and consequently the wire III. One end of the cable H8 is fastened in the plug III (Fig. 5) while its other end isfastened to a sleeve I20a (Fig. '7) adjustably mounted in a bracket I I9 supported in a stationary position on the frame of the machine at the point best indicated at the right- As the arm I08 is hand end of Fig. 1. It was mentioned above that one end of the wire H1 is attached to the pin II 6 (Fig. The other end of the wire H1 is connected to a pin I20 (Fig. 7') slidable in the sleeve I20a. The outerior Iree'end of the pin I20 normally engages the end of an: adjustable screw I20b which is carried by an arm I2I of. a lever pivoted at I22 on the frame of the machine, as shown at the righthand side of Fig. 1 and as clearly illustrated in Fig. '1. A spring I20c holds the upper end of the lever arm I2I against an adjustable stop I20d (carried by bracket H9) with the adjustable screw of the pin I20. The other arm I23 of this lever extends downward and'hasa hook at its lower end which is normally engaged by the hooked free end of an arm I24 which is secured to one end of a shaft I25 (see Figs. 2, 4, and 7) which shaft is attached at its opposite end we delivery chute I26 for the screw and washer assemblies.

Normally, this chute stands in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7, its upper end being directly opposite the point of discharge of the assemblies when they are kicked from the die so that they will fall into the upper end of the chute and be delivered. into a receptacle I 21. The chute is capable of moving from the full line poassemblies having screws of longer than the desired length, in which case the latter are delivered into a second receptacle I28.

I 20b engaging the end This movement of the chute occurs when the assorter pin I I6 and the wire I I1 are moved endwise, as previously explained, this movement being transmitted to the screw I'20b carried by the arm I2l of the lever I2I- -I23 and is sufficient to rock the hooked end of the arm I23 of the lever from under the free end of the arm I24 so as to allow the lever to drop from the full line position shown in Fig. 7 to the dotted line position and to thus rock the chute I26 from its full line position above the receptacle I21 to the dotted line position above the'receptacle I28.

The arm I24 carries a roller. I29 which is adapted to be engaged by a cam I30 to lift and restore the lever to its normal position, in which over the hooked end of the lever arm I23. The cam I30 is on the shaft 64 previously referred to. It will be understood that the pin II6 to which one end of the wire H1 is attached, as previously stated. will normally be out of the path of movement of the kickout pin I M and normally the arm I24 will be supported in the full line elevated position shown in Fig. 7, and during the time that the arm is retained in its elevated posiidly. However, when a screw is inserted in the die 33 and the anvil I02 when there is no washer in the die, or if the screw is somewhat longer than desired, the kickout pin I 0| will be given an inward movement greater than normal, and this increased movement is suflicient to movelthe assorter pin II 6 rearwardly, and the movement thus imparted to the wire H1 is sufiicient to disengage the hooked end of the lever arm I 23 from beneath the hooked end of arm I24 so as to allow the arm I24 to drop and swing the delivery chute so that it will discharge into receptacle I28 instead of into receptacle I21. At the instant that the lever drops, the high part of the cam is out of the way of the roller so that the lever can drop to the 7 dotted line position shown in lever to the full line position and its free end will again engage over the hooked end of lever assembled screws the receptacle I21.

Operation During each cycle of the machine the following operations or movements occur. Through the action of the cam 65 and the ratchet mechanism, the notched disk 29 in the washer hopper 23 is given one of its step-by-step movements sufilcient to bring a washer to a position opposite the mouth of the chute 3I, and the washer then drops out of the notch of the disk and slides down the chute and comes to a stop at the assembling point at the front of the die; it being remembered that one washer at a time'is delivered to the chute 3I. Substantially coincidentally with the delivery of a washer to the die a screw is delivered bythe spring fingers 55 to a position in .line with the washer and in line with the plunger 4|. The feeding of the screws to the chute 48 is accomplished by the vertical swing? ing or oscillation of the plate 46, and the delivery of a screw to the position just stated is brought about by the swinging of the segment-shaped and washers into plate 53 through the medium of the cam '85 and v by the delivery of the screw from the cradle of.

this plate by the spring fingers 55 actuated by the cam 84' and the lever 56 which carries the spring fingers 55. As soon as the screw is positioned in line with the plunger M the latter is moved inwardly by the action of the cam 19, the lever 80, and the slide 43, causing the screw to be moved inwardly and the washer to be slid onto the unthreaded portion of the shank of the screw next to the head.

On the retraction of the plunger 4| the kickout mechanism operates to simultaneously push the screw outward through the action of the springactuated kickout pin IM and also to push out bled position on the screw, this being accomplished by the simultaneous forward movement of the anvil I02 and the kickout sleeve I03 produced by the movement of the lever I01 which movement is imparted by cam I05 on the cam shaft 62. Thereupon the kickout sleeve I03 is moved backward by the spring I I4 and the kickout pin IOI willbe moved backward when a screw is again inserted in the anvil in the next cycle of operations.

On the ejection of the assembled screw and washer, the screw and washer assembly falls into the chute I26 and is deposited in the receptacle I21. As previously explained, during the normal or proper operation of the machine the asserting mechanism is inactive, in which case the assorter pin I46 and the wire H1 are stationary and the level-I24 remains in itsupper position with the cam I30 rotating idly beneath the roller I29. However, this asserting mechanism is at all times ready to act, and if a screw of greater length Fig. 7. Then as cam I30 continues its movement, it will lift the avoided.

At this point it might be assorting mechanism is; very sensitive and --reliable, and while it is shown in connection with an assembling machine, it m ay haveutility also in an assorting machine to sort screws orother products of difie'rehtlengths. I I While I have Shawnee preferred "construction, I do not desire to' 'be'confined to the precise details 'or arrangements illustrated but "aim in myclaims to cover all mdifications'whicl ij do not involve a departure from the spiritandthe' scope of the invention."

Having thus described my inventio'nfl claim: lpThe combinationwith'a machine having an opening,-means for" inserting 'artiel'es one 'at' a time in said opening anda kickout pin extend-" ingiintosaid opening and adapted 'to moved rearwardly with 3 respect 'to' fthei forward end of said opening when an article is I'iriserted in the latter and serving thereaiterwto eject the article from the opening}ofariassorting 'mech anism in-n eluding amember 'for' varyin'g the points of delivery of the articles when merge areejected bythe kickout 'pin; and means forming an operative" connection between said member and said be shifted by the kickout-pin so as: tocause the actuation of said member the lgiekout fgin is moved more than""af'predeterminede distance rearward 'by the insertion of an'articlefin j said opening.- V e 2."The" coni-bin'ationfwith a machine having an opening, means -'fo1""inse rting' articles ne at a time-in said opening; and: a l :icl-;out pm extendinginto saidopenii'i'g and adapted to be moved rearwardly with respect to the forwardenfd of said opening whenan articleis inserted in the latter and serving' thereafter to eject the article from-the opening, of an'as'serting mechanism'irieluding a memberfior varying the poiritslof deliver'y' of the'article's whenfthe latter are ej cted by the kickout"p in, and fmeans'formirig an 'oeerativje" connection between 'said member .and said kick'out' pin including a part which is adapted to be. shifted by the kickout pin so as to j mentioned thatfthe cause the actuation 9: said member. when the fkickout pm-rem ed; morethanja predetermined fdis tancerearward the insertion of m article saidopei iing;saidfpartbeing endwise movable in line-w th the kickout pin.

r 5. 75? le n na "wi ha m c i e having an "-"or 'eninI"' means'forjinserting articles one at a '-time;i ri said opening, and a kickout pin extendine'i'nto 's'aid openingand adapted to be moved 10' rearwardly with respect to the forward end of *saidorienin g when an article is inserted in the utter and se'rv'ing' thereafter to eject the article from 'the "opening; of, an asserting mechanism -munda e-ame 1qer, ro varying the pointsv of delivery of thearticlesjwhen ejected from the bp'ening by thekickout pin, a latch mechanism 'fc'o'ntrolli'n'g the 'r'nel iajritlof'said member, and

* means fermi g' an operative connection between said latch, meehanism'and the kicliout'pin inhiding a-fiart whichis adapted to be shifted by thekickout'pinjso as' to cause the actuation of saidmemberwheln the kickout pin is moved more thanajpredeterminedidistance rearward by the "insertion Oran-article in saidlopeni'ng'. y

4. Ama chineliaving a fixeddie in which arti- "cles are adapted to be successively positioned, an 7 endwise movable" fnemb ergiat the rear of said die and" havin'gfian opening extending therethrough, a 'reciprocating plun'g'r for inserting an elon- V, e n 4 Z f fated article"throughfithe first named article kickout pinincluding a par t whichis adapted towhich isQin fthe die and into said opening, a spring -bia'sed kickout pin. extending into said opening and adapted e-tO .be moved rearwardly when the secQnd-named-article is inserted in said opening by the plunger and adapted to move forwardly ,so as to ejeot-the-second article when the uplungerris retracted-a movable member for controlling the points of delivery of the ejected arti- 40 'cles: depending upon thelengths of the second named articles, means forming an operative connection between said's'econdnamed member and 'saidkiclgoufib'inincluding a part adapted to be shifted b'ythe 'kickoutpin when the latter is moved rearwardly by. one of the second named artio'lee' rnolre than a predetermined distance, and means for moving said first named member forwardly coincidentally with the retraction of the i l e 1 FRANK B. DAVIS. 

